Secret Benefactor
by Zellicy
Summary: Rachel Berry keeps finding mysterious gifts in her locker. She becomes obsessed with finding out who the anonymous giver is. When she figures it out, will she be able to return the deep feelings this person obviously has?


So...here's my first ever Faberry fic. I wrote it a couple weeks ago for Jamie (.com) and she seemed to like it. Hopefully you all will like it too.

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><p>The first time it happened Rachel didn't think anything of it. She carried several packets of gold stars in her binders to ensure that every time her name was written it was accompanied by her signature symbol. When she found an extra packet laying on top of her books she assumed they slipped out of her binder. She shrugged and tucked them into their designated place and scurried off to class.<p>

The second time it happened Rachel was convinced it was the librarian's doing. The school had purchased bookmarks with inspirational sayings printed on them in an attempt to encourage students to read. The mission was an utter failure. When she found the dark blue bookmark covered in gold stars she had assumed the librarian had slipped one into every students locker. Not being one to waste a gift, Rachel began using the bookmark for her English reading. The phrase printed on it, "Reach for the moon, even if you fail you'll land among the stars" was inspirational and something she easily related to. From that day on, she was always extra courteous to the old librarian.

When she found a $15 gift certificate to the local music store, she was a little disturbed. Her initial reaction was to be flattered; someone had obviously paid enough attention to her to realize the gift was perfect. That being said, the only person she knew of who showed even a slightly positive opinion of her was Jacob Ben Israel. So, Rachel Berry was disturbed.

It continued on this way for a while. Rachel Berry would find small trinkets in her locker; a gold star eraser, a pencil with her name on it, gift cards, cd's and other small mementos. It would have been sweet if she wasn't 100% sure Jacob Ben Israel was behind it all. As much as she needed to be admired, he was the one admirer she wished she didn't have.

Rachel Berry knew people didn't like her. It was obvious. She was ambitious, persistent, and unbelievably talented. She was destined for Broadway - for bigger and better things. The other students saw this, saw her talent, and attempted to break her sprits. If they couldn't get out of Lima, then neither would she. Her fathers had been the subject of much scorn and, for a while, were the primary reason Rachel was teased. As those insults failed to affect her, the neanderthals she reluctantly called her peers began attacking her personally.

It was bearable though and the insults weren't harmful - in fact most of them became stale by the seventh grade.

Things changed when Quinn Fabray became captain of the cheerios sophomore year.

The blonde had teased Rachel like everyone else after falling into the popular crowd freshman year, but when she was awarded the coveted position of 'Head Cheerio' it was like Rachel became her personal target.

Quinn Fabray, Santana Lopez and Brittany Pierce tormented her at every turn. New, harsher insults were hurled at her, though none of them stung as much as the first time Rachel felt crushed ice and corn syrup hitting her face. The temperature of the ambush took her breath away and the sugar stung her eyes. When she saw Quinn Fabray wearing a self-satisfied smirk through the torrents of red dye and tears streaming down her face, Rachel knew the High School chapter of her future memoir would be one of the more difficult sections to read.

It took exactly two days for Rachel to adapt and bring a change of clothes with her to school.

It took exactly three days for her mysterious benefactor (i.e. Jacob Ben Israel) to re-surface.

Grape had been the flavor of choice that day, and when a little of the confection dripped onto Rachel's tongue she decided it wasn't as bad as cherry or, God forbid, blue raspberry. In what was quickly becoming a routine, Rachel cleaned herself off in the restroom before depositing her soiled clothes in her locker.

Sitting on top of her US History book was a folded piece of paper. She _knew_ the paper didn't belong to her. Rachel insisted on college ruled. The paper sitting in her locker was quite clearly wide ruled. For a moment she felt that flutter of optimism, that someone cared about her, before she realized a declaration of lust from Jacob was the last thing she wanted to receive after getting slushied.

The paper burned a hole in the back of Rachel's mind all morning. By the time lunch rolled around she'd had enough of pretending she wasn't curious. Rachel unfolded the paper and quickly scanned her eyes across the page.

I shouldn't write this.

I shouldn't feel the way I do about you.

I'm popular and you're a loser - it doesn't make sense.

But every time my mind wanders, there you are.

Every time you're near my heart races,

every time you speak I lose my breath.

But it's wrong.

So I have to hide.

The note fluttered to the ground as Rachel stormed down the hall to the cafeteria. Practicing her scales in the auditorium could wait. Someone had been giving her gifts for over a year. Someone popular. Someone who wasn't Jacob Ben Israel.

She felt a bit like Christine Daaé, having some phantom in her corner who only contacted her in secret. It was romantic, theatrical, and perfect.

When she pushed the double doors of the cafeteria open and stormed to the "cool table" she decided the first boy to notice her would be the one who wrote the note. It made sense. As she approached her tormentors, she was met with Quinn Fabray's cold glare. But then - magic happened. Seeing Quinn's sudden disinterest in the (probably boring) conversation, Finn Hudson turned and met Rachel's eyes.

Finn Hudson, Quarterback of the Football team, was Rachel Berry's secret benefactor. It was perfect. He was the popular boy who everyone looked up to, who everyone expected to fall in love with Quinn Fabray. Rachel was the stunning young ingenue harshly labeled as a social outcast. Finn knew he shouldn't love Rachel, but he was so taken by her talent and unconventional beauty that he fell before he knew what was happening. Obviously he had an image to maintain though, and so, he declared his love for Rachel in secret methodically placing gifts in her locker and feeling a sense of pride every time she used one of them.

She was so excited with her discovery that she turned and left the room for the auditorium where she would promptly prepare the perfect song to sing to Finn.

When Mr. Schuester took over Glee club and got Finn to join Rachel stopped finding mementos in her locker.

It was obviously because her and Finn had an excuse to get to know one another and the secrecy was no longer needed.

Rachel fell for Finn. She fell hard and she fell fast but when she kissed him in the auditorium it felt _wrong._ It was supposed to be fireworks and magic. It was supposed to feel like coming home for the first time. It wasn't supposed to feel like a dog licking the inside of her mouth.

Things became decidedly more difficult when Quinn Fabray, Bubbles and Buttercup joined Glee, tearing down the haven of art and passion Finn and Rachel had created (Kurt, Mercedes, Tina and Artie made contributions as well).

Disaster struck when, at the start of Junior year, it all happened again.

She had been dating Finn all summer, and though he had his flaws, he loved her, and she loved him. He was her secret benefactor and once they had a more personal connection the gifts stopped.

The folded note resting at the bottom of her brand new locker sung a different tune.

I'm sorry I haven't contacted you in a while.

Things were...difficult.

Just know my feelings for you haven't changed.

Rachel would never admit it, but from that moment on her relationship with Finn was doomed.

Every Monday Rachel found a new note in her locker.

More than anything, I wish I could hold you.

Stay strong. You're beautiful no matter what they say.

You're perfect to me.

I wish I had the courage to be yours. I wish I deserved you.

It was unbelievably frustrating getting those notes while dating Finn. Every sweet thing he said paled in comparison to the heartfelt words waiting in her locker. It could have been anyone (well, anyone but Finn) and the thought drove Rachel absolutely insane. There was someone out there who loved her so much that they were willing to let her go because they felt she didn't deserve them? It was impossible. So cliché, so much like a half-finished fairy tale romance, so perfect that for the longest time Rachel gave up trying to uncover their identity and resigned to believing it was too good to be true.

Every time you sing I want to cry because I know it's HIM you're singing to and not me.

Rachel's secret benefactor was in Glee club.

Rachel's secret benefactor was popular.

Rachel's secret benefactor was Noah Puckerman?

It couldn't have been Sam, because she'd been getting these gifts long before he was around.

She made out with Noah when news of Finn's whirlwind romance with Santana got out. It was much better than kissing Finn, it always had been, but it still didn't feel like love.

I would do anything if it meant I could have you.

Okay, so Noah wasn't the one. That much was made perfectly clear when she found the note the day after her escapades with Puck. Rachel decided she would take action. She was tired of relationships failing because of this person haunting her - showing her that she deserved so much more than what she was getting. That week, Rachel wrote back.

So do something.

I can't.

You say that you love me. You leave me gifts and notes that go straight to my heart, but you refuse to act on them. Every single week I get my heart broken because I know there is someone out there that is perfect for me, someone that's too afraid to tell the truth.

If you really loved me you would meet me in the Auditorium Friday after Glee rehearsal.

Rachel felt stupid sitting on the edge of the stage waiting for some kind of Prince Charming to wisk her off into the sunset. For the first half hour she had been giddy, impatient, and full of hope. As she neared the 90 minute mark she accepted defeat. She left the auditorium already producing a list of songs appropriate for her situation.

When Rachel opened the door she was met with a surprised and seemingly frustrated Quinn Fabray.

No.

It couldn't have been.

There was no way. Quinn Fabray?

Not in a million years.

"What are you doing here, Quinn?"

The ex-cheerio furrowed her brow and adopted the icy glare that was so distinctly her, "I left my pre-cal homework in the choir room. I was just getting it."

"Don't lie to me, Quinn."

The hardened hazel gaze softened, if only for a second, but Rachel saw it. And it clicked.

The absolute vehemency Quinn displayed when mocking Rachel, Quinn's reported handiness with lock picking, the gifts stopping when her pregnancy occurred, her joining Glee club, the longing looks she cast Rachel from time to time. It all made perfect sense.

The pornographic pictures on the bathroom walls.

In all honesty Rachel felt a little stupid for not figuring it out ages ago.

"It's you, isn't it?"

"I...I don't know what you're talking about, manhands."

Rachel took a step forward.

Quinn took a step back.

"You're a pretty girl, Quinn. Prettiest I've ever met."

The blondes eyelids fluttered a bit as she backed up another step.

"What the hell are you talking about, Berry?"

Desperate to get away, Quinn took another step back, wincing when she felt the cool metal of the lockers pressing against her. She was trapped. Her breaths were coming in short, and her heart was about to escape the confines of her body.

Rachel took another step forward, completely invading Quinn's personal space. If she was wrong she would be dead.

Before Quinn could escape, Rachel lifted herself onto her toes and brushed her lips against the blondes. Even in that soft fleeting moment, that butterfly of a touch, Rachel knew she was a lost cause. Even before Quinn whined, grabbed the brunette, and deepened the kiss Rachel knew Quinn had been the one she was looking for. Before the two ran themselves breathless, kissing with fervor and passion previously confined, Rachel knew she would never kiss anyone else because the moment their lips touched Rachel felt like she was coming home for the first time.

The last time it happens Quinn is by her side. Rachel had just finished her debut performance on Broadway and was preparing for a night of celebration with her cast mates. She opened her locker, ready to change into her street clothes, when she saw it. Sitting innocently on top of a wide ruled piece of paper was a ring.

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><p>Reviews are greatly appreciated.<p> 


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